1. Technical Field
Various embodiments generally relate to a semiconductor apparatus, and more particularly, to a program operation of a semiconductor memory apparatus.
2. Related Art
DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) is used mainly as a memory of an electronic device since it promptly accesses a target memory cell and makes it easier to store and readout data. However, a capacitor included in the DRAM cell has a leakage characteristic. The DRAM is a volatile memory, and loses stored data when the power supply is cut-off.
To overcome the weaknesses of the DRAM, a non-volatile memory device may be used instead to keep stored data even when the power supply is cut-off. Examples of the non-volatile memory device are a flash memory, a phase change random access memory (PCRAM), a resistive random access memory (ReRAM), a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM), a magnetic random access memory (MRAM), and a Spin Transfer Torque random access memory (STTRAM). A memory cell of the non-volatile semiconductor memory apparatus has a non-volatility characteristic by keeping stored data even when the power supply is cut-off.
An operation of storing data into the memory cell of the non-volatile semiconductor memory apparatus is generally referred to as a write operation or a program operation. A verification read operation is performed in the non-volatile semiconductor memory apparatus for verifying whether an intended data is stored in the memory cell. According to the result of the verification read operation, the write operation or the program operation is finished or performed again. Compared with the DRAM, the repetition of the program operation and the verification read operation for storing data degrades the overall operation speed of the non-volatile semiconductor memory apparatus.